Communication networks may extend across great distances, encompassing cities, states, or even countries. These networks may employ fiber optic communication media links for transmission of broad bandwidth digital and analog signals. These fiber links may be physically connected to an optical interface that manages each fiber link for a particular network with multiple fiber links extending on to a variety of end users. The fiber links are generally run through conduit and may be twisted through walls and bent around curves before reaching the end user. These twists and bends may result in fatigue or damage that reduce the intensity of the signal being transmitted through the line and in some cases even result in line continuity interruption, thereby creating an optical impairment or loss in the fiber link.
Testing, installation and maintenance of fiber communication networks requires equipment that may be used in the field at various locations to test the fiber links in a variety of installations and under different circumstances. Specifically, measurement of optical loss of fiber links is a common practice in a central office (CO), a point of presence (POP), co-locations, and anywhere there are fiber links for communications. Currently, the expected mechanism for measuring optical loss of a fiber link involves the use of a light source transmitter typically in the form of a handset to transmit light from one end of the link and a power meter receiver typically in the form a different handset to receive and read the light intensity at the opposite end of the link under test.
The light source transmitter and the power meter receiver both fail to provide any type of direct communications for use by technicians. Typically, the technicians, at the two opposing ends, are forced to rely on some separate external mode of communication to coordinate their actions, such as conveying directions to move to the next fiber link or to discuss a problem. The use of this external mode of communication may be difficult and time consuming. Specifically, a landline phone is not always near a fiber shelf, cellular phone signals may be poor, and the technician needs to be mobile when taking measurements and using tools, which makes holding a phone cumbersome and inconvenient.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for providing reliable and convenient two-way communication between the light source transmitter and the power meter receiver, allowing the two devices to talk while the technicians are measuring the loss.